Apparatus for orienting terminals



Se t. 8, 1964 R. c. FREIDENRICH ETAL 3,147,343

APPARATUS FOR ORIENTING TERMINALS Filed March 14, 1962 WW ME m E .H

United States Patent York Filed Mar. 14, 1962, Ser. No. 179,729 3 Claims. (Cl. 19833) This invention relates to apparatus for orienting terminals, particularly terminals having laterally projecting tongues, and feeding the terminals to supply chutes.

Great numbers of terminals of this type are to be mounted in panels, component heads or the like and it has been found that these terminals may be mounted rapidly through the aid of certain commercially known machines providing the terminals are fed to the machines in a predetermined order. This, therefore, requires the need of an apparatus for orienting this particular type of terminal and directing terminals in great quantities successively in the oriented positions to one or more-chutes where they may be directed to the mounting machines.

An object of the present invention is the provision of an apparatus which is simple in structure yet highly efficient in orienting terminals and feeding them successively to a chute.

According to the object, the invention includes an apparatus for orienting terminals having tongues extending laterally from like ends thereof and feeding the terminals to a chute comprising an annular wall mounted at a fixed position and having an outlet in its lower edge positioned above a rotatable disc-like table which is larger in diameter than the wall to cause the terminals within the area of the wall on the table to move outwardly so that the tongue portion of the terminal may extend beneath the wall and be moved along an inner surface of the wall until the terminals find the outlet.

More specifically, a stop is positioned adjacent to the outlet to momentarily hold the terminals moving into engagement with the stop so that through the assistance of centrifugal force they may be moved singly through the outlet. Also, a guide extends from the outlet to an entrance end of a chute so that the terminals moving on the outer portion of the table against the guide will be directed toward the chute. A ramp is interposed between the periphery of the table and the entrance end of the chute adjacent to which an orienting member is located at a fixed position to complete orientation of each terminal when moving down the ramp to the chute.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the apparatus; and,

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary isometric View of a portion of the apparatus adjacent one of the outlets.

The apparatus has a fixed support carrying a rotatable shaft 11, which in the present instance, constitutes the power means for rotating a disc-like table 12 about its center which is coincident with the axis of the shaft 11. The power means including the shaft 11, may include also a motor drive (not shown) adapted to rotate the table 12 at a suitable speed to create a desired centrifugal force on a supply of terminals 14 to cause them to move outwardly on the table. The terminals 14 in the present instance are of a particular type having tongues 15 fixed to and extending laterally from like ends thereof.

An annular or cylindrical wall 16 of a desired height is disposed concentric with the shaft 11, but is smaller in diameter than the table 12 so that a portion of the table of a given width extends beyond the periphery of the wall 16. The wall 16 has an inner surface 17 against which the terminals are moved through the aid of 3,147,843 Patented Sept. 8, 1964 centrifugal force and are advanced in clock-wise direction toward any of a series of six outlets 18 spaced about the wall and disposed in the lower'portion thereof. Pairs of guides 20 and 21 are provided for the outlets 18 and are fixed at their inner ends, such as at 22, to the wall 16 so that when the other ends are fixed to the support 10, such as at 23, the wall 16 will be supported a given distance above the table 12 to permit the tongues 15 of the terminals to move beneath the wall while moving on the table 12. The pairs of guides 20 and 21 extend diagonally from the wall 16 so that there will be smooth traveling of the terminals from engagement with the inner surface 17 of the wall 16 through the outlet 18 and in the guided path controlled by the guides 20 and 21. Each guide 20 has an integral stop 25 of the curved formation shown so as to engage terminals 14 moving on the table 12 along the inner wall 17 but will not interfere with terminals positioned away from the wall and not in position to move readily through the adjacent outlet 18.

An entrance end 28 of a chute 29 is mounted to receive the terminals from their respective outlets 18. These ends of the chutes are mounted on the support 10 and the chutes extend to one or more machines to which the terminals are to be fed for mounting.

It is important that the terminals be oriented so that the major portions of the tongues trail behind as they advance to the mounting machines. In controlling movement of the terminals from the main supply which is supported by the table 12 within the wall 16, it is advantageous that the tongues 15 be allowed to move out of the supply area and'not be wedged above a stack or pile of terminals when they are approaching the outlets 18. This is the purpose of the space beneath the wall 16 for at this point the important action for consideration is the removal of the terminals singly from the supply area and start their movements along the guides 26) and 21 toward the chutes 29. During movement of each terminal on the portion of the table outside the wall 16 orientation of the terminals begins for it is here that the rotary movement of this portion of the table turns the terminals in a direction so that the tongues thereof will engage an orienting member 30 of each guide 20 at the entrance end of a ramp 31 extending from the periphery of the table 12 to the entrance end 28 of the chute 29. At this time, the final orienting movement of each terminal entering the ramp will be completed so that each terminal will be caused to move down its chute with its tongue portion trailing.

Operation In the present instance, there are six outlets 18 in the wall 16 and, of course, there are six pairs of guides 20 and 21 providing stops 25 for each outlet, and a ramp 31 leading to each chute 29, the adjacent guide 20, in each instance, having its orienting member 30. The portion of the table 12 within the Wall 16 may be supplied with terminals through any suitable means not shown and at such a rate that a desired number of terminals may be fed successively through each outlet 18 so that the chutes may have suflicient supplies of terminals properly oriented to be fed to their respective machines. Any suitable means, not shown, may be provided to close any number of outlets should the machines for the chutes associated therewith be made unoperated.

When the table 12 is rotated at the desired speed, terminals resting thereon will be moved outwardly to ride against the inner surface 17 of the wall 16 until they reach the nearest exit 18 wherein the terminals 14 will engage the stops 25 and through the ever present assistance of centrifugal force and the further assistance of stop 25 they will be caused to travel through the outlets and on to the outer portions of the table beyond the wall. Here the moving force of the table will cause the tongues of the terminals to be moved into given directions so that they will be caused to engage the orienting member 30 in each instance prior to leaving the table 12 or while moving from the table 12 onto the ramp 31. This completes the orientation of the terminals and they are held in these oriented positions while moving down the ramps to their respective machines.

It is to be understood that the above described arrangements are simply illustrative of the application of the principles of the invention. Numerous other arrangements may be readily devised by those skilled in the art which will embody the principles of the invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for orienting terminals having tongues extending laterally from like ends thereof and feeding the terminals to a chute comprising:

an annular wall mounted at a fixed position and having an outlet in its lower edge,

a disc-shaped table larger in diameter than the annular wall positioned therebeneath a distance suificient to permit movement of only the tongues of vertically positioned terminals of a supply of terminals on the table within the wall to extend,

means to rotate the table about its axis at a speed to cause terminals thereon to be moved outwardly by centrifugal force and so that the tongues of the terminals may extend beneath the wall as successive terminals move on the table along an inner surface of the wall to the outlet,

a stationary stop mounted at a far side of the outlet to stop movement of the successive terminals in a circuitous path on the table and direct them through the outlet, and

a guide for the terminals leaving the outlet mounted at a fixed position above the portion of the table extending beyond the wall so that the moving force of the table on tongues of terminals moving along the guide will orient the terminals.

2. An apparatus for orienting terminals having tongues extending laterally from like ends thereof and feeding the terminals to a chute comprising:

an annular wall mounted at a fixed position and having an outlet in its lower edge,

a disc-shaped table larger in diameter than the annular wall positioned therebeneath a distance sufiicient to permit movement of only the tongues of vertically positioned terminals of a sup ly of terminals on the table within the wall to extend,

means to rotate the table about its axis at a speed to cause terminals thereon to be moved outwardly by centrifugal force and so that the tongues of the terminals may extend beneath the wall as successive terminals move on the table along an inner surface .of the wall to the outlet,

a stationary stop mounted at a far side of the outlet to stop movement of the successive terminals in a circuitous path on the table and direct them through the outlet,

a guide for the terminals leaving the outlet mounted at a fixed position above the portion of the table extending beyond the wall so that the moving force of the table on tongues of terminals moving along the guide will orient the terminals,

a chute having an entrance end mounted adjacent the guides, and

a ramp disposed adjacent the guide and extending downwardly from the periphery of the table to the entrance of the chute.

3. An apparatus for orienting terminals having tongues extending laterally from like ends thereof and feeding the terminals to a chute comprising:

an annular wall mounted at a fixed position and having an outlet in its lower edge,

a disc-shaped table larger in diameter than the annular wall positioned therebeneath a distance sufiicient to permit movement of only the tongues of vertically positioned terminals of a supply of terminals on the table within the wall to extend,

means to rotate the table about its axis at a speed to cause terminals thereon to be moved outwardly by centrifugal force and so that the tongues of the terminals may extend beneath the wall as successive terminals move on the table along an inner surface of the wall to the outlet,

a stationary stop mounted at a far side of the outlet to stop movement of the successive terminals in a circuitous path on the table and direct them through the outlet,

a guide for the terminals leaving the outlet mounted at a fixed position above the portion of the table extending beyond the wall so that the moving force of the table on tongues of terminals moving along the guide will orient the terminals,

a chute having an entrance end mounted adjacent the guide,

a ramp disposed adjacent the guide and extending downwardly from the periphery of the table to the entrance of the chute, and

an abutment member of the guide disposed adjacent the ramp to be engaged by the tongues of the terminals and thereby complete orientation of the terminals prior to their entrance in the chute through the ramp.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

1. AN APPARATUS FOR ORIENTING TERMINALS HAVING TONGUES EXTENDING LATERALLY FROM LIKE ENDS THEREOF AND FEEDING THE TERMINALS TO A CHUTE COMPRISING: AN ANNULAR WALL MOUNTED AT A FIXED POSITION AND HAVING AN OUTLET IN ITS LOWER EDGE, A DISC-SHAPED TABLE LARGER IN DIAMETER THAN THE ANNULAR WALL POSITIONED THEREBENEATH A DISTANCE SUFFICIENT TO PERMIT MOVEMENT OF ONLY THE TONGUES OF VERTICALLY POSITIONED TERMINALS OF A SUPPLY OF TERMINALS ON THE TABLE WITHIN THE WALL TO EXTEND, MEANS TO ROTATE THE TABLE ABOUT ITS AXIS AT A SPEED TO CAUSE TERMINALS THEREON TO BE MOVED OUTWARDLY BY CENTRIFUGAL FORCE AND SO THAT THE TONGUES OF THE TERMINALS MAY EXTEND BENEATH THE WALL AS SUCCESSIVE TERMINALS MOVE ON THE TABLE ALONG AN INNER SURFACE OF THE WALL TO THE OUTLET, A STATIONARY STOP MOUNTED AT A FAR SIDE OF THE OUTLET TO STOP MOVEMENT OF THE SUCCESSIVE TERMINALS IN A CIRCUITOUS PATH ON THE TABLE AND DIRECT THEM THROUGH THE OUTLET, AND A GUIDE FOR THE TERMINALS LEAVING THE OUTLET MOUNTED AT A FIXED POSITION ABOVE THE PORTION OF THE TABLE EXTENDING BEYOND THE WALL SO THAT THE MOVING FORCE OF THE TABLE ON TONGUES OF TERMINALS MOVING ALONG THE GUIDE WILL ORIENT THE TERMINALS. 